


Book One- Beginnings

by masonsjar



Series: ATLA: Modern Highschool AU [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Bending (Avatar TV), Appa is a Tibetan Mastiff, Ba Sing Se, Badass Toph Beifong, Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Fire Nation (Avatar), Gay Zuko (Avatar), Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, More tags to be added, Multiple Relationships, No cheating, No explicit scenes, Past Child Abuse, Past Relationship(s), Slow Burn, Social Anxiety, Sports, Toph Beifong and Zuko are Siblings, Trans Male Character, Trans Sokka (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, and also Aang's service dog
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:54:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25660960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/masonsjar/pseuds/masonsjar
Summary: There were very few things Zuko West truly cared about in life. His uncle Iroh, his snake Druk, and his ex-girlfriend Mai were the only names that came to mind when he thought about it. After his uncle finally won full custody over him in a court case that spanned for nearly three long years, Zuko is able to get away from Fire Nation Academy. The teen had escaped the clutches of his father, and has been given the opportunity to start anew as junior year awaits him. The only problem? His new school has been rivals with his old one for generations, and his past reputation precedes him almost as much as the scars on his face.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Mai & Zuko (Avatar), Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: ATLA: Modern Highschool AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1860673
Comments: 7
Kudos: 50





	1. Sunlight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey there! welcome to a new project of mine. i’ve got some big plans for this series. special thanks to my friend vince for being my beta reader <3

**Book One : Chapter 1**

Zuko rose with the sun. Every morning without fail, when the sun began to rise over the horizon, Zuko found himself blinking away sleep. Today was no different. The teen scrubbed a hand over the right side of his face, groggily rubbing his good eye as he sat up. His uncle was likely awake, maybe even already downstairs opening up the shop. 

He forced himself into a sitting position, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Zuko glanced at his phone. _6:34am_ stared back at him, along with the last text from Mai from the night before. Zuko briefly scrolled through their conversation to ease his nerves.

_(11:57pm) Mai_

_You're stressing out over nothing._

_mai, everyone will recognize me. theyll know who i am_

_Who cares if they do? It's highschool. You got your name changed didn't you?_

_yeah. my last name is officially west._

_There you go then_

_but people still know the name zuko. and i dont really feel like being called west._

_Just use your middle name?_

_...that works. thanks mai_

_You're welcome. Lee West. Nice and short_

_nice and unnoticeable. are u sure i cant borrow your makeup ??_

_Trying to hide your scars like that will only draw more attention, sorry Zuko_

_its ok. im shit at makeup anyway_

_Yeah, you kinda are. It's late, go to sleep. Don't be tired and cranky your first day_

_i cant yet, feeding druk tn_

_It's 12am. Why feed him so late?_

_hes picky about it_

_Liar. That snake eats everything. You forgot to defrost his rat didn't you?_

_...yeah. cant sleep anyway_

_Try to get at least four hours. I know you do that weird shit and wake up super early_

_in my defense my internal clock is fucked and i hate waking up at the crack of dawn_

_I also know you don't sleep until you pass out from exhaustion on purpose_

_what can i say, being dead asleep helps with nightmares_

_That's fair. Just take care of yourself ok? Say hi to Druk for me_

_will do. thanks mai_

_Goodnight, Zu. Text me if you need a ride_

Ba Sing Se High was filled with people who undoubtedly hated Zuko's guts. A transfer from Fire Nation Academy is one thing, but the son of the guy who practically runs the school? And the brother of the infamous girl who is responsible for nearly half of athlete injuries last season? He was as good as dead if anyone recognized him. Still, Zuko just had to put FNA behind him. Unfortunately for him, he also had to leave Mai. 

Zuko read over her last message again. A ride would be nice, considering he and his uncle lived quite far from his new school, but the anxious energy bubbling under his skin begged to differ. If he didn't burn some of it off, Zuko would get stuck with it later in the day. The teen huffed and quickly shot Mai a text. 

_(6:41am)_

_good morning. ur prob still asleep so get up already. i'll walk, but thanks for the offer. don't skip your first day of senior year. see u after school, uncle said dw abt my shifts for the first few weeks so im free_

He finally hauled himself out of bed and decided to dedicate a good ten minutes to stretching. Zuko’s mind wandered as he worked through his forms on muscle memory alone. Even as his scarred skin shifted uncomfortably from certain positions, Zuko’s consciousness drifted. He wondered if Mai would be alright. Before, it used to be just them, his sister, and Ty Lee against the world. Sure, Azula had a power complex that was far from healthy, but she did care in her own way. After Mai had chosen him over his sister, Zuko couldn't help but worry about how well Mai would fare going in alone to FNA. 

The quiet buzz of his phone interrupted his musings. Zuko checked the screen, golden eyes scanning over the text message quickly. 

_(6:54am) Mai_

_I hate when you send good morning texts. But your loss. If they didn't fuck up my schedule I should be out by 12. Will grab lunch, want any?_

_sure, thanks. bssh ends at 2 tho_

_It's useless to ask you to skip on day 1 isn't it_

_yes it is. go get ready. see u at 2_

_Fine, see you. Good luck_

Zuko huffed and tossed his phone aside, almost narrowly missing his bed. Mai didn't seem worried at all. Given, from her general facade it was hard to tell she felt anything, but Zuko had always known how to read her. ' _Mai could have the whole school out for her and she still wouldn't care. She'll be fine,'_ He assured himself. Unfortunately for him, the anxiety of his own upcoming school year crashed back into his chest full force as his worries about Mai dissipated. 

"Nephew, come down for a cup of tea before you leave," His uncle's voice called from the hallway. It didn't sound like a command though, more like an offer. 

"Be right there," Zuko replied, standing up to begin getting dressed for the day. He avoided his reflection in the mirror, opting to turn his blindside to the glass instead of facing it. It was better that way. Besides, his line of vision settled on Druk's tank so he was able to peer into the terrarium for the snake. Zuko saw the orange tip of the ball python's tail poking out of one of his hides, sleeping soundly. On his way to the bathroom, Zuko flicked on the overhead lamp for the day. 

Once he was done, Zuko stepped back and risked a look at himself in the bathroom mirror. The angry reds of his scars stuck out sharply against his pale skin, while his right eye was underlined with a dark, heavy line. So much for looking presentable. The teen flipped up his hood in an attempt to hide his telltale facial feature, while his sleeves covered as much of his skin as possible. At least he wasn't going back to FNA where everyone knew the story behind his scars. The rumors about the marks that engulfed almost the entire left side of his body spread around the school like wildfire thanks to his sister. But maybe the people in BSSH would just write him off as a weird, broody loner with an unfortunate birthmark. As if he was ever going to get that lucky. 

Zuko tore his gaze away, shoving his concerns about his appearance to the back of his mind. It didn't matter what others thought of him (if only he could convince himself of that). He quickly gathered the rest of his things- his phone, tangled earbuds, and a plain backpack he hadn't looked at since his uncle got it for him- and set off downstairs. He didn't want to keep his uncle waiting, especially knowing he had the shop to open soon.

The Jasmine Dragon had opened last spring, but gained traction very quickly in the relative short amount of time. Zuko and his uncle lived in the upper floors of the building, while the tea shop below was open to the public. Zuko padded into their living room, already seeing a steaming cup of tea placed on the table for him. "Good morning, Zuko," Iroh greeted him. The old man sat down across from Zuko's chair, already sipping from his own cup. 

"Morning Uncle," Zuko said, nodding his thanks as he took a seat and began to nurse his own tea. Jasmine- his favorite. 

"I suppose you're ready to leave already," He chuckled. "Eat something before you go," Iroh said, once again his tone offering rather than ordering. "There are some bananas on the counter, and a bottle of water. I can make you some eggs if you'd like as well." 

"Thank you," Zuko said, bowing his head slightly from embarrassment at the feeling of being coddled like a child who couldn't even pack his own food. A rise of anger at that poked at him but he quickly pushed it down. ' _Uncle is never patronizing, he just enjoys being kind,_ ' He reminded himself. "I'll just take a banana to eat on the way," He decided as he hastily finished his tea, repressing the urge to run to school just to get it over with. 

Seeming to pick up on Zuko's fidgeting, Iroh smiled warmly and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Everything will go smoothly, nephew. Try not to let the anxiety of being recognized get to you too much. You are a different person than the one you used to be," He reassured Zuko, giving him a light pat. His voice was level and smooth as he continued, "You may even make a few new friends in Ba Sing Se."

"Yeah, maybe," Zuko mumbled unconvincingly. "I'm hanging out with Mai after school, so I'll be home around four," He changed the subject, much more wiling to talk about her now that his uncle knew they were just friends. "Thanks for giving me the day off."

Iroh waved his hand dismissively. "You are my nephew and just a child before an employee. Your junior year will be filled with many stresses, but working will not be one of them," He said firmly. Zuko could only nod in defeat- knowing he'd be able to find some way to sneak back into shifts at the Jasmine Dragon one way or another after a few weeks. 

His uncle pulled him into a hug, practically wrapping his shorter frame around the boy. "Have a good first day at school, Zuko. I'm so proud of you," Iroh said softly. After a moment, Zuko somewhat stiffly returned the embrace, unused to such open contact. 

"Thanks," He said awkwardly, pulling away after another moment. "I'll see you later, Uncle," Zuko waved, retrieving his things and shoving on the first pair of shoes he saw- his old basketball ones. They were worn and comfortable enough for everyday wear, but still strong enough to endure the hikes he and Mai liked to go on to escape the world. The dull grays of the shoes matched his plain attire anyway. 

A small voice in the back of his mind also told him it was smart to be prepared to run. He pushed it down. Ba Sing Se was his new beginning, his fresh start. He took a deep, steadying breath and then released it. His past was behind him now. Zuko threw his bag over his shoulder, pushing open the door to step into the sunlight. It was time for him to move on with his life. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading!! i hope it wasn’t too boring as far as expositions go. 
> 
> please feel free to leave any feedback or questions in the comments. i dont have a concrete upload schedule yet but as soon as i do i will let you guys know.


	2. Suspicion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko's first day starts off quite rough, to be quite honest. He's not sure what to make of the senior who begins to take an interest in him, either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this chapter is,, mostly exposition stuff. i hope its not too uninteresting :,) 
> 
> i promise stuff gets decent soon. also sorry this took so long to update lol, thanks to the people who showed interest on the last chapter! :0

**Book One : Chapter Two**

Zuko had purposely walked as slow as possible to Ba Sing Se. He aimed to arrive just on time, without a minute to spare. After all, that was one less minute he had to spend idle and at risk of running into someone who recognized him. As per his usual luck, things didn't exactly turn out as Zuko had planned. 

The boy had taken a wrong turn a few blocks before, somehow ending up faced with a large stone wall that encircled the outer ring of the school. Zuko growled and resisted the urge to punch said wall, instead forcing himself to glance at the time. The teen had approximately three minutes to make it all the way back around to the front entrance where the gates were open for students. Zuko cursed and weighed his options. He could scale the wall, but risk getting in trouble on his first day. Or, he could sprint around and hope for the best. 

Even with his depth perception almost entirely gone from the damage in his left eye, Zuko was almost certain the wall wasn't as high and daunting as it seemed. 

"You won't have any luck trying to climb, you're better off going around." Zuko jumped at the unfamiliar voice, practically yanking his hood on by sheer instinct. Another teenager, probably the same age as him- if not a year older- sauntered over to the wall and leaned back against it with a smug expression. 

"Oh," Zuko said dumbfounded, unconsciously stiffening as the other boy approached him. "Thanks," He mumbled, right before turning and breaking out into a sprint back the way he came. Whether he was running from being cornered or so he wouldn't be late to school, Zuko would never admit.

In a little over a minute, Zuko made it to the front gate. His breaths came in short huffs as his chest continued to heave with the exertion. The security guard was just beginning to close the door, but paused with a brow raised skeptically at Zuko. After a moment that felt like forever, the man cracked open the door for him. "Just in time, kid," He said. 

"Thanks," Zuko replied breathlessly as he slipped inside. The halls were fortunately already almost cleared out. A woman was directing the stragglers with a flick of her pen. Zuko approached her. 

"Hi, uh I'm a new transfer. Where do I get my schedule?"

"Last name and year?" The woman asked, not exactly cold but definitely not friendly either. 

"West, and I'm a junior," Zuko said. 

She didn't look up from her clipboard as she gestured down the hall with her pen. "Second door on the right. You're late."

Zuko nodded and jogged down the hall, slipping inside the room unnoticed. Multiple clusters of kids inhabited the room, talking amongst themselves. Zuko put his bad down on the nearest empty chair and made his way over to the teacher's desk.

"Excuse me? Uh, I have a question," Zuko began hesitantly. The man looked up. He seemed pretty young for a teacher and almost as laid-back as some of the kids hanging out in the classroom. 

"What's up kid?"

"I go by Lee, my middle name. I don't like people knowing my first name. Would you be able to uh, not mention my first name? My last name is West, you can call me either."

"Sure thing Lee. You don't owe an explanation. Just make sure you tell your other teachers too. You a new transfer? I teach sophomores, haven't seen you around before."

"Yeah, I'm a transfer, from uh, from FNA," Zuko admitted. Even if he was a good liar, which he absolutely wasn't, there was no other school in the area to fall back on. _'You could have just said you moved from out of town, idiot,'_ He realized. 

Instead of making a big deal, the teacher just shrugged. "You don't look like the typical snotty rich kid from that school. I'm guessing it didn't suit you well," He chuckled.

"You have no idea," The teen mumbled. "But thanks, uh," Zuko trailed off awkwardly. 

"Mr. Kuruk," He supplied. "Go talk to some people, make friends. Kids in BSS are generally nicer. I know from experience," Mr. Kuruk winked. Zuko nodded his thanks and slunk back to his bag, sinking down into the seat with a sigh of relief. So far, so good. 

The rest of the period went by pretty smoothly. Mr. Kuruk was thankfully true to his word and didn't mention Zuko's first name out loud during attendance. After distributing the schedules the man kicked back and relaxed, telling them to just go to their second period class after the bell and to not get too loud in the meantime. Zuko idly wondered just how productive Mr. Kuruk's classes were. 

A short, single knock sounded at the door before someone barged in. It was the same person Zuko had encountered before. Dark eyes met his golden ones for a brief moment before he turned and sauntered over to the back of the class where two juniors greeted him. 

"Hey Kuruk! Got my schedule already. Gonna crash here," He called over to the teacher, who shrugged and nodded without looking up. Zuko tried not to stare at the boy. His dark hair framed a fairly attractive dace, along with a cool smirk that was just slightly titled upwards whenever he spoke. Yeah, Zuko didn't stare at all. Likely a senior, judging by his comfortable attitude around teachers, but maybe Mr. Kuruk was just one of the chill teachers. But also taking into account the swooning from some of the girls along with the winks sent their way, Zuko drew the conclusion he was definitely a senior- a fuckboy type at that. 

The group he was with suddenly looked up, straight at Zuko. The teen flustered and averted his gaze quickly, burying his head in his schedule. As the rest of the period dragged by, he could feel their gazes on his back. Why were they staring at him? Did they know who he was? Zuko couldn't bring himself to send another glance behind him, fearing the suspicion his nervousness might arouse. 

He looked over his schedule once more. Zuko folded over the corner to hide his first name, satisfied when only Lee West was visible. Zuko may be a terrible liar, but he could hold a fake identity for as long as he needed. His next class was, of course, PE. Who the hell had a gym class at 8:30am? He did, apparently. Just his luck. Another minute passed by as he mulled over his schedule, which wasn't too bad besides the early gym period and the class he had after that, which was three flights of stairs away and probably halfway around the school. Zuko realized with a sinking dread that he had no idea how to navigate the school or find his classrooms. Just on par with his realization, the bell rang. 

He groaned quietly in frustration as he shoved his phone into his pocket and slung his bag over his shoulder. Zuko practically ran out of the classroom, wanting to avoid any confrontation from the trio inside. He stopped and glared at the paper in his hand. How was he supposed to know where any of his classes were?

"Hey there, new kid."

A familiar voice startled Zuko, who spun around to come face to face with the senior from before, who was flanked by the two juniors from the classroom. 

"It's Lee, right?" One of the juniors asked. She had short, cropped hair kept out of her face by a blue headband and was dressed pretty androgynously. 

"Yeah," Zuko replied hesitantly after a moment. The other boy remained stoic and silent, while the senior raised an eyebrow. 

"Nasty burn scar. I'm sure the story behind that one isn't pleasant," He said, the obvious unsaid question hanging in the air.

The quiet junior nudged him with a stern expression. He relented, "Sorry, not my place. I'm Jet. This is Smellerbee and Longshot," Jet gestured to his friends in turn. Smellerbee gave a wave while Longshot just nodded in greeting. 

"Uh, hi. I'm Lee. But you already knew that," He trailed off, at a loss for what to say. "I just transferred here this year, I don't really know where any of my classes are. I moved from far out of town. My uncle wanted a better life for me." It wasn't a total lie, after all, so Zuko said it pretty convincingly. At least, convincing enough for the trio. 

Jet held out his hand. "Let me see your schedule, I'll help you out," He offered. Zuko obliged after a second of hesitation. He was grateful his paranoia had worked in his favor this time. He couldn't risk Jet, who could have already been suspicious, discovering his identity. If he noticed the folded corner, he said nothing as his dark eyes skimmed over Zuko's schedule. 

"Oh, you have gym now. Same here, actually. Come on, I'll show you the way," Jet said, handing Zuko's schedule back to him. "I'll catch you two later," He waved to Smellerbee and Longshot. 

Without any other choice, Zuko followed Jet. He had to turn his head at an odd angle to keep the senior in his line of clear vision. If the older boy noticed, he didn't mention it. Jet led him down a flight of stairs to the basement level. "Locker rooms are this way. You have a uniform right?"

Zuko nodded. His uncle had ordered them over the summer for him, despite his protests. Looks like Zuko had another thing to add to the ever-growing long list of things to thank Uncle for. 

"That's good. Coach gets grumpy if you don't, even if you're a new transfer," Jet smirked, and Zuko wasn't really sure if he was joking or not.

As they entered, Zuko tried to find a quiet corner away from most of the other boys in the locker room, but had no luck. Everyone was either too loud, too close, or both. Jet seemed to keep an eye on him and finally after a few minutes, beckoned him over. "If you're shy, change in the basketball cage. No one goes in there since we're not in season yet. Here's the key," Jet tossed him a lanyard, which Zuko snatched out of the air in his fist with ease. Seemingly impressed with Zuko's reflexes, Jet nodded and directed him towards the secluded spot. 

Zuko opened the metal screen with the key, slipping into the locker cubby. Why was Jet helping him so much? Did he have an ulterior motive? Was he testing him? Head spinning with questions, Zuko changed as quickly as he could, opting to leave his pants on and just pulled up his gym shorts over them. Without his hoodie, the burns on his left arm were revealed and Zuko preferred to keep his legs hidden even more so than his forearms. 

Jet's head appeared around the corner. "Come on, Lee," He said, not waiting for a reply as he disappeared once more. Zuko sighed and finished locking up his bag before following, eventually finding the way out into the gym. 

The class was a mix of disgruntled juniors and seniors, most of which were seated in clusters on the bleachers. The rest were caught up in a basketball scrimmage at the hoop on the far side of gym. Zuko wondered if he should join in, but promptly decided not to. Instead, he sought out the gym teacher to get his name cleared up before getting outed by accident. 

He settled it pretty quickly this time, already knowing what to say. The coach was indifferent to it anyway, checking off his name on attendance and telling him the first week is lax in terms of uniform and participation. Looks like Jet had exaggerated before. "Feel free to shoot around," He had said, gesturing to the rack of basketballs off to the side. 

When Zuko made his way over to the rack, Jet was there waiting for him. "What were you talking to coach about?" The senior asked nonchalantly. 

Zuko bit back a retort. Why was he so interested in his business? "Uh, nothing. Just, if I could shoot by myself at the other hoop," Zuko mumbled, reaching out for a ball. Jet seemed satisfied with this answer, grinning as he lead him over to the hoop after snagging the ball from Zuko's hands. The younger followed with a poorly concealed scowl. 

"Let's see what you got, Lee," Jet smirked, a competitive glint in his eyes as he sent Zuko a firm pass. Was Jet really challenging him to a one-on-one? And was Zuko really going to accept it? Not one to back down from a challenge, Zuko widened his stance and locked eyes with Jet, his jaw set. A new determination flared to life in Zuko's chest. It had been ages since he played with someone. 

Zuko started off with a slow, low guarded dribble to scope out just how Jet moved. He gave Zuko enough room but he knew as soon as he took a step forward, Jet would rush to meet him and cut him off. Zuko glanced up, focusing his gaze on the rim. He could make that shot if he jumped. Jet wasn't that much taller than him, either. Four or five inches, at most. He took a deep breath. 

Zuko faked a drive inwards, sweeping the ball back towards him and pulling up into a shot just before the three point line. The ball struck the backboard with a heavy thump and ricocheted into the net. Not the conventional shot, or the smoothest looking, but it got the job done. Jet was silent for a moment, staring at Zuko with a mix of surprise and interest. "Hell of a shot," He finally said, walking over to grab the ball before it rolled away under the bleachers.

"Uh, thanks," Zuko replied. Jet studied him with a calculating gaze, like a predator sizing up competition. The senior passed the ball back to him. His body was angled differently this time as Jet dropped into a defensive stance. He was pushing him left. His blind side. 

Zuko had dribbled and shot with his right had out of habit. The three years of physical therapy and recovery had made him more right-handed and ambidextrous, straying from his original left-handed tendencies. Did Jet think his entire left side was useless? Zuko felt an angry, defensive thought rear up in the back of his mind. ' _I'm not weak. I'm better than him and I'll prove it._ ' 

A clever idea emerged from Zuko's racing mind. He would make Jet think his left side was a weakness. Then he'll really let his guard down and underestimate him. Zuko feigned a dismayed reaction to Jet's tactics, sticking with his right hand and attempting to make a few crossovers to bypass him. As much as Zuko had grown to dislike Jet's tactics, he was good. Especially at defense, keeping him on his toes to avoid getting the ball stolen entirely. Jet drove him backwards to the corner, and Zuko inwardly scowled. He couldn't shoot from here, not without a backboard. 

Zuko finally found an opening in Jet's defenses and drove forward, slipping by him and going in for another bank. It landed. Zuko released a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. They continued playing for a majority of their gym period, possessions switching back and forth as each boy fought to get the upper hand on the other. Zuko was now grateful he didn't leave his hoodie on, feeling a trickle of sweat on the back of his neck from the exertion. It had been a while since he had actually played against someone else, especially someone on the same skill level as him (Uncle, unfortunately, was not good at basketball). 

"Not bad for a half blind kid, huh?" Zuko huffed, his tone casual despite his words.

Jet stared at him, taken aback. "You're half blind?" He asked, staring Zuko with a dumbfounded expression. 

"Uh, yeah,” Zuko deadpanned. “Half my face is burned, I figured it was kind of obvious,” He grumbled, staring down at the ball in his hands. Zuko figured he knew it already too, considering the fact Jet had targeted his left side just moments ago. The teen felt a prickle of self-consciousness, now wishing he had his hoodie to hide away in as Jet's gaze bore into him. 

“You're pretty good,” The senior recovered after an awkward moment of silence between the two. 

"Thanks?" Praise was something Zuko was still growing accustomed to. 

"Hey Lee, you're not the person I thought you were," Jet began, his words sending a chill down Zuko's spine that froze all his limbs.

"What?" The junior echoed, a rasp catching in his voice. 

"For a minute when I first got a good look at you- in Kuruk's class, since you had no place to run then- you reminded me of a Fire Nation kid. He was pretty infamous here- a rich bastard who crashed Ba Sing Se parties for fun with his cronies."

Zuko nodded along numbly, hoping the way his grip tightened around the ball he was now clutching like a lifeline to his chest was unnoticeable. 

"You kinda looked like him, with the uh, scar and all. But I realized his scar was on the other side, so it's just a weird coincidence," Jet mused, "He had different hair too, apparently. I've never actually met the kid, anyway. Point is, I misjudged you. I thought you were him, so I wanted to keep an eye on you," He chuckled, almost embarrassed to admit his perceived miscalculation.

Zuko, on the other hand, was just about ready to make a break for it. He fought off the nervous fidgets as he forced an awkward laugh, "I have no clue what you're talking about."

"Yeah, I figured," Jet teased with a sly smirk. "What I'm trying to say is, I think you're really talented. And I think you would make a great addition to the team."

"Team?" Zuko asked, raising an eyebrow (well, his only eyebrow). 

"Ba Sing Se High's basketball team. We call ourselves the Freedom Fighters," Jet explained proudly. 

Zuko stifled a laugh at the odd name and tried to ask as politely as possible, "What kind of team name is that?" 

"We're gonna free Ba Sing Se from the shadow of the Fire Nation," Jet scowled, snatching the ball from Zuko and moving to rack it up. The junior shuffled after him, pondering what he meant. What shadow? It's just dumb highschool rivalry nonsense. 

Zuko's skeptical look made Jet crack. "Alright, there's another meaning behind it but it's personal," He muttered. 

"Oh, alright," Zuko conceded. 

"So? What's your answer?" Jet pressed him.

"Uh, I don't know," Zuko stammered, "It's been a long time since I've been on a team, I'm not sure if the commitment is for me."

"But you're a natural, Lee- We need you! How about this? Just consider it. Come to the initial meeting next week, and tryouts too," Jet offered. 

Zuko pondered his options. It could be a ploy. What if Jet didn't dismiss his original suspicion and wanted to lure him into something? But if it was genuine, Zuko had a chance to actually make friends. Or at least, teammates. Uncle would want him to at least give it a chance. He bit back a sigh and surrendered. "Fine yeah, I'll think about it. Thanks." 

Jet grinned, his satisfaction written all over his face. "Awesome, the meeting is this Friday after school, in this gym. We'll get exact details then for tryouts then."

"Uh, you're welcome, I guess. Would you be able to tell me how to get to some of my other classes? I have no idea where I'm going in this place."

"Sure thing, Lee," Jet agreed, slinging an arm around his shoulder. Zuko only slightly stiffened at the contact. "You're gonna fit in just fine here, I know it."

Zuko gave a small smile in return. Was this how making friends worked? Or was Jet planning something? Zuko wasn't sure yet, but at least he wouldn't have to be wandering aimlessly trying to find his next class. Small victories. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not my best chapter, i'll admit, but i wanted to get this out there since its been a while. it wasn't beta read either whoops,, this isn't my best genre lmao, so any feedback is really appreciated!
> 
> (zuko is a socially awkward idiot and cant go two sentences without saying "uh")
> 
> anyway, what do yall think of jet?


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